On September 20, 2024, we are proud to present the world premiere recording of the collaboration between saxophonist and composer Marius Neset and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, two of the world’s leading performers in the fields of classical music and jazz, respectively.
These two musicians, with backgrounds from different genres, usually focus on different stylistic models in their expressive idioms. For example, like most of his classical colleagues and unlike jazz performers, Andsnes does not improvise. But despite this difference and others, Who We Are strongly suggests that the similarities in the two players’ musical perceptions and approaches are more prevalent and significant than the differences, and that they are pursuing many of the same objectives in their musical narratives.
In their encounter here, in Neset’s compositions, their playing is imbued with a tangibly inspired, hyper-communicative, fertile sense of community. Playfully, but with total, controlled ownership of both the stillness and the storm, they create music that sounds entirely organic and original, and which in the course of the album’s running time makes words and concepts such as “genres”, “genre blends”, and “fusion” seem oddly irrelevant.
They are in excellent company with flautist Ingrid Søfteland Neset and cellist Louisa Tuck. Ingrid Søfteland Neset, who lives in Copenhagen, is former principal flautist of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra. She is the saxophonist’s sister and often plays together with him. Louisa Tuck, originally British but now based in Oslo, has been principal cellist of the Oslo Philharmonic since 2015, and also has an extensive solo career. These two musicians, with their finely honed classical training and flawless instrumental technique, are perfectly suited to the quartets and duos of Who We Are. An attentive listener can simply lean back in a comfortable armchair (or perhaps sit at the edge of it), be carried away, and even break out in delighted laughter when the musicians’ inspired interplay takes off into the stratosphere.
The album was recorded at Rainbow Studios in December 2023 with Jørn Pedersen as producer and Martin Abrahamsen as engineer. The album will be released by Simax on September 20 on LP, CD, and digitally
All compositions by Marius Neset
Marius Neset: Tenor and soprano saxophone
Leif Ove Andsnes: Piano
Louisa Tuck: Cello
Ingrid Neset: Flute
